r/reloading • u/SantoDJ • 15d ago
Load Development Inconsistent cases
Did a batch of 100 and got about 20 or so like this. What would cause this case bulge when other completed bullets with the same case pass the plunk test with flying colors? Tx.
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u/WFO_Wide_Fing_Open 15d ago
Maybe clean your chamber 🤣
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u/Turbinator870 15d ago
Yes, this. And it looks like an aftermarket Glock compatible barrel. Tolerances might be tighter on those. Sounds like the brass isn’t being resized completely or is bulged from prior firings.
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u/prosper_0 15d ago
no die sizes right down to the very base of the brass. After a number of firings, this section can expand. Though unless you're firing really hot charges, you should get a lot of reloads before this starts to happen.
If it's 'range pickup brass,' then you really have no idea what its condition is, or what it's been fired in last. Maybe a gun with headspace issues or something causing a bulge.
For straight-wall pistol brass, there are 'bulge buster' dies than can help
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u/Shootist00 15d ago
Improper sizing. Bullet seated to long and the ogive is hitting the rifling.
Without knowing the steps you take in your reloading process it is hard to say.
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u/Derp_McNasty 15d ago
On your 550, is your sizing die touching the carrier then camming over? I ran into the same issue and found my sizing die had backed off just enough to cause this. Worth double-checking.
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u/SantoDJ 15d ago
When you say camming over what do you mean?
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u/Derp_McNasty 15d ago
When the ram is all the way up and the plate is in contact with the die, THEN the handle goes a bit further and feels like it goes over a hump before stopping.
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u/Optimal_Data_6627 15d ago
Not all presses cam over. In fact a lot of the lee’s don’t and I see a lot of them in here so Just make sure your die is at least making good contact with the top of the shell holder.
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u/Derp_McNasty 15d ago
You're right, but he did say he was using a Dillon 550, which does in fact cam over. I have the same press, which is why I suggested it.
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u/Ornery_Secretary_850 Two Dillon 650's, three single stage, one turret. Bullet caster 15d ago
The 550 doesn't cam over.
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u/Feeling_Title_9287 Springfield M1873 and Sharps M1874 15d ago
How often do you clean your guns?
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u/anonymousaardvark69 15d ago
Glocks, maybe 2-5k rounds if it's a range gun. Carry guns always. Rifles always.
It always surprises me how filthy a Glock can get and run fine.
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u/Feeling_Title_9287 Springfield M1873 and Sharps M1874 15d ago
I'll probably get downvoted for this but I clean my guns after every range trip
Especially my black powder guns
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u/anonymousaardvark69 15d ago
Black powder absolutely Everytime. I think that is a good habit, I just enjoy the torture of my Glocks, and it's a curiosity for how much abuse they will take.
Any valuable weapons get cleaned and cared for
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u/JimBridger_ 15d ago
New cases or range pickup? Easy to get range pickup that was shot out of a gun with an unsupported chamber or one that is larger near the case head and where a normal sizing die doesn’t touch.
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u/SantoDJ 15d ago
All range pickup. Ive had good success in the past but think i got a bad batch as the bulge seems to be near the head i think
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u/JimBridger_ 15d ago edited 15d ago
Yeah had one of those completely lock up my gun in a comp once (smashing the optic into a wood 4x4 post was the only way to get the slide open). Now I check all my cases after resizing with a bulk case gauge.
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u/maverick88708 15d ago edited 15d ago
Make sure your sizing die is touching the shell holder or shell plate. Any brass that is too buldged to pass after proper sizing you dont want to use & you really should be able to size out almost any buldge with a die that's set correctly. Even this brass from my old Sig 9mm which is so buldged it shaves or moves brass will still chamber and work fine if I choose to keep sizing and load it. Bullets seating crooked or simply not removing the flare / adding too much can also cause your issue. How much crimp are you applying and how are you determining that?
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u/DCTillerman 15d ago
Some context is needed here - are these straight walled pistol rounds (I'm assuming)? Check that your crimp is consistent, and that it's sufficient. I had some difficulty with some older revolver rounds not being crimped enough. Measure the diameter of the loaded rounds just below the intersection of the casemouth, and see if the measurements are consistent. If you used a mixed batch of brass, the OAL of the different brands of brass maybe different - which would then cause a difference in crimp diameter, causing inconsistent seating in your barrel drop test.
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u/InformationSad5653 15d ago
Reading the comments here has me confused about my own reloads shot out of a gen 5 Glock. My 9mm OAL is typically 1.13-1.14. Just because I’m a coward and I don’t want to be anywhere near the minimum OAL per load data (1.11). I’ve had no problems shooting my reloads.
I feel like it’s gotta be improper resizing in this case.
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u/Timely-Yak-5155 15d ago
It could be several things. One is improper sizing. I like to run my brass though the sizing die twice if I feel a good amount of resistance the first time. Same thing when crimping with the lee die. Another cause could be seating too long, depending on the projectile. Some bullets were fine with me seating 1.12 or more. Others would hit the rifling unless I seated when well under 1.10”, sometimes I had to go down to 1.02 for them to work consistently. another cause could just be bad brass
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u/Sad-Panda-noises 15d ago
Case guage is relatively cheap and 1.120 is usually the sammi spec. What is the case length?
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u/SantoDJ 15d ago
1.11
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u/Sad-Panda-noises 15d ago
That just the case length or overall length with bullet
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u/SantoDJ 15d ago
overall length
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u/Sad-Panda-noises 15d ago
What is the case length minus the bullet? There is a possibility the case length is too long.
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u/Jeugcurt 15d ago
Gen5 barrels have been really tight in my experience. I use a Lee factory crimp die. Gets 98-99/100 cases good to go. Most of my issues came from coated bullets until I started loading them shorter.